By Valerie Milano

Ray Romano and producer Mike Royce paired up to debut a New, original comedy-drama on TNT,  Men of a Certain Age, starring Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher.

The story line follows three college buddies, each well into their 40’s, now facing their lives as they realize they didn’t quite turn out as they’d planned.

Although the theme may seem familiar, the male perspective is fresh in an hour long series. The men’s friendships, relationships and life choices are explored honestly and humorously.

The first episode drew an audience of 5.4 million viewers as TNT introduced Joe, Owen and Terry, each dealing with their careers, families and often, failed expectations. The three friends discover they have landed right in the middle of middle age.

Ray Romano, nominated for two Golden Globes portrays Joe, a recently divorced father of two with some gambling demons. Joe is a party store owner who would rather have fancied himself a professional golfer. Romano is charming and funny as he portrays the ‘Average Joe’.

Andre Braugher, Owen, also nominated for 2 Golden Globes, plays a married father of young children managing health issues and selling cars for his bossy father. Owen lives a very principled life and thinks he’s the only one on the planet who is sane. Braugher brings a genuine honesty and likability to his character that is facing several personal crises.

Scott Bakula, a Golden Globe winner, is Terry, the out-of-work actor/playboy who finds he may just be a sell out in his career. He probably has the most growing up to do at this point.

Men of a Certain Age manages to find the humor of addressing some of the sad realities of life, while honestly presenting what its like to be men in their mid-forties. The music is 

perfectly timed and poignant enough to bring additional emotion to the scenes. Men of a Certain Age is not a ‘manly-man’ show, but rather an honest look at friendships, family, careers and pondering is that all there is?

NAPTE/Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award At It Again

By: Valerie Milano

The National Association of Television Program Executives, NATPE, will host the 7th Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards on Monday, January 25, 2010 at Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas.

NAPTE is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating, developing and distributing television programming across all media platforms.

Brandon Tartikoff, one of television’s youngest and brightest and brought many innovative television series to NBC to become among some of the greatest in television history. His generosity, spirit and contributions to the industry inspired the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award, given in recognition of creative excellence. This years honorees includee Jeff Gaspin, Chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment; David E. Kelly, Emmy award winning screen writer and producer; Irwin Gotleib, CEO of GroupM and Judge Judith Scheindlin, judge and courtroom television host.

The Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award honorees were selected by NATPE’s Executive Committee, and the three day celebration is sponsored by Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News and NBC Universal, and will include screenings, workshops, think tanks and presentations by televisions elite. This year’s executives participating in the event are Shine Group’s Elizabeth Murdoch, delivering the International Keynote address, Discovery Communication’s David Zaslav, the keynote speaker of Monday’s Think Tank and Michael Eisner will deliver the Creative Keynote address. Additionally, there will be an advertising track in association with Michael Kassan, Chairman/CEO of MediaLink which opens with AT&T’s VP Esther Lee, while Shelly Palmer delivers the “State of the Digital Union”.

Over the three days there will be over 200 people presenting at 75 events. Rick Feldman, President and CEO of NATPE, explains, “These are very high-level executives across the board in all businesses that relate to what we’re doing. They all see the value of being able to speak and inform the body populace that comes to NAPTE. I think we all know that right now what’s going on is that in a lot of these other conferences that exist…most of the people who are there come from the same discipline. The value of NAPTE is that regardless of whether  you’re from broadcast or cable or mobile or online or production or distribution or advertising or social networking or technology, you’re all there to talk about what’s going on in the business right now, which is that it’s a very uncertain time with a lot of questions. The idea is that NAPTE is getting everyone from the various parts of the business to talk together, and hopefully we can supply answers-answers about what kind of creative is wanted and needed and can be monetized over these multiple digital distribution streams, how you can harness that content, how you can make that money. NAPTE is always about opportunity.”

Although attendance is ahead of last year, due to the  consolidation of the business, it is still not as strong as 2008. The 2010 show floor will move to ballrooms on the first level of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, while 2011 and 2012, NAPTE will be convening at the Fountainebleu in Miami’s South Beach. Feldman noted, “We’re going to change how everything gets done in Miami”..